What is fake news
What is fake news
What is fake news? How to spot it and what you can do to stop it
‘Fake news’ has rapidly become a catch-all term to discredit all kinds of stories. We need to be smarter at recognising and combating outright fabrication
Fake news reports soar on social media, where links are given the same weighting regardless of source, and particularly on Facebook, where there is a potential audience of 1.89bn. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
Fake news reports soar on social media, where links are given the same weighting regardless of source, and particularly on Facebook, where there is a potential audience of 1.89bn. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
U ntil recently, there was news and “not news” – as denoted by comments of “that’s not news” below the line on more light-hearted stories or features. Now there is “fake news”, said to be behind the election of Donald Trump as US president and a recent incident involving a gunman at a Washington pizzeria.
The term has become widely used – too widely. But it’s understandable there’s confusion when some fake news is only a bit fake, or fake for an arguably legitimate reason (such as satire).
Can we still make a useful definition of fake news? And should we even be worried about it at all?
Definitely real fake news
First the most famous example of an indisputably (or so you would think) fake news story that has had real-world consequences.
Subscribers to “Pizzagate” point to apparent “code” within the hacked emails of John Podesta, the Clinton campaign chair, and the fact the restaurant has the same initials as “child pornography”. (Googling Pizzagate is not advised. The background to this extraordinary story has been explored in detail on the Reply All podcast.)
«I think it has a map that seems pizza-related.»
This is code. I know this from representing drug dealers. https://t.co/9mX3kivmPz pic.twitter.com/yk1vJIOlMd
From 4chan and Reddit, the online message board where the story took root, the story gained sufficient momentum for a poll of 1,224 registered voters in late September to find that 14% of Trump supporters believed it to be true.
A significant 32% of respondents were “not sure” – just like the 25-year-old gunman who, though not convinced of the theory, felt there were sufficient grounds to pay a visit to the restaurant to “self-investigate”.
Yes, it stretches the boundaries of belief – but a lot of fake news does. And yes, people nonetheless think it’s true.
How big a problem is this kind of fake news, really?
The poll lends weight to the suggestion that the US election result was influenced by a widespread belief in fake news among Trump supporters. That same poll found that 73% of Trump voters thought the billionaire financier George Soros paid protesters to disrupt the Republican candidate’s rallies – a fake news report later repeated by the president-elect himself.
Another fake news report, that Democratic senators wanted to impose sharia in Florida, was repeated by Michael Flynn, Trump’s nominee for national security adviser. (Flynn also tweeted a “MUST READ” link about Democrats’ “sex crimes w children” – then deleted it.) A false report that Trump supporters chanting “we hate Muslims, we hate blacks, we want our great country back” at a rally was reported as true on election night.
These stories – compelling to click on, and with a “truthiness” quality to them – soar on the social web, where links are given the same weighting regardless of source, and particularly on Facebook, where there is a potential audience of 1.8bn.
Analysis by BuzzFeed found that fake news stories drew more shares and engagement during the final three months of the campaign than reports from (for example) the New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN.
Both Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, pooh-poohed suggestion that fake news travelling on the network could have swung the election. But, on Thursday, Facebook announced that it would begin flagging fake news stories with the help of users and outside fact-checkers.
Surely it’s easy to tell fake news from real news
A recent study carried out by Stanford’s Graduate School of Education assessed more than 7,800 responses from middle school, high school and college students in 12 US states on their ability to assess information sources.
Researchers were “shocked” by students’ “stunning and dismaying consistency” to evaluate information at even as basic a level as distinguishing advertisements from articles.
If you think you, an adult with an internet connection, are better placed than a middle school student to assess sources, this collection of comments on “literally unbelievable” humour stories is humbling.
It’s not that readers are stupid, or even necessarily credulous: it’s that the news format is easy to imitate and some true stories are outlandish enough to beggar belief.
Newsround
17 May 2019 17 May 2019
Many of us like to share news and stories on social media with our friends.
We all share things for different reasons. Perhaps it’s an interesting story, news about a celebrity that you like, or something that made you laugh.
But when you see something you like online, do you check to make sure that it’s true before you share it?
More tech news
Stories like this are called fake news and they can be a problem.
Fake news is news or stories on the internet that are not true.
There are two kinds of fake news:
It is happening a lot at the moment, with many people publishing these stories in order to get as many shares as possible.
Now that we have social media, it is much easier for these stories to spread quickly, which can be a problem.
It is also easier than it used to be to edit photos, and create fake websites and stories that look realistic.
Fake news is a problem for different reasons.
They will tell people that a story is fake, just because they don’t want it to be true.
Some people will call things fake news, when really they just have a different opinion.
Calling something fake news, when it isn’t really, is a problem as it can mean some people don’t know what to believe anymore.
One of the most shared stories during the US election was about Donald Trump, who is now president of the US.
Many people reported that he had called his own Republican voters «the dumbest group of voters in the country». But he never even said it.
There were also lots of fake news stories written about his opponent Hillary Clinton.
As a result of the rise of fake news, the UK Parliament launched an investigation into it.
The group behind the investigation looked at where fake news comes from, how it spreads and what impact it has.
If you want to try to make sure that you don’t get caught out by fake news, there a few things you can look out for.
If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’, you might want to check it out a bit more, before spreading the word.
If you’re at all unsure, speak to an adult that you trust about the story to find out a bit more about it.
Fake News: как создаются фейковые новости и можно ли их распознать
Фейковые новости влияют на политику больших стран, их создатели зарабатывают немалые деньги, используя различные схемы монетизации, а в будущем fake news смогут сокрушать бизнесы. Рассказываем, кто и зачем создает фейковые новости, как организуются поддельные информационные кампании и как распознать фейк обычному пользователю.
Разбираемся в понятиях
Во всех перечисленных примерах распространить информацию наширокую аудиторию можно было только через определённый канал связи с ней — камень на стене дворца, газету, радио (на смену которому пришло телевидение). Доступ к нему для желающих распространить такую информацию был строго ограничен.
В наше время генерировать и распространять fake news (будем называть их «фейковыми новостями») может любой, потому что в начале XXI века появились социальные сети, которые стали самостоятельной и неограниченной медиасредой. Рост их аудитории и разнообразие форматов информации (текст, фото, аудио, видео, трансляции) привели к «демократизации рупоров», которые ранее были только в руках властей или профессионалов. Более того, именно в соцсетях транслятор фейковых новостей общается с аудиторией напрямую, минуя журналистов, государственную цензуру и другие фильтры.
А если задействовать в соцсетях технические и коммуникационные технологии, любое фейковое сообщение можно распространять не хуже вечерних новостей Первого канала. Нужен только специфический мотив.
Три составляющих фейковых новостей: соцсети, телекоммуникационные технологии и специфическая мотивация. Источник: TrendMicro
Устанавливаем мотивы
Фейковые новости практически всегда либо про политику, либо про деньги. Политических манипуляторов привлекает в соцсетях их «народный» характер, а коммерческих злоумышленников — ещё и монетизация.
Политика. Чаще всего fake news генерируются для влияния на выборы или какую-либо политическую фигуру. Традиционные источники информации для этого не совсем подходят, ведь обычный человек всё более склонен верить «таким же простым людям, как и он» в соцсетях, а не «аффилированным с государством или корпорациями» СМИ. Именно поэтому фейковые новости создаются с прицелом на соцсети — здесь у каждого участника есть определённый «соседский» круг доверия.
Деньги. Создавая фейковые новости, можно усиливать активность определённых групп потенциальных клиентов. «Только три знака зодиака переживут 2020 год…» — кликбейт-заголовок, который в итоге может привести на посадочную страницу сервиса платной рассылки гороскопов. Соцсеть в этом случае играет роль хирургически точного инструмента вовлечения нужных групп потенциальных клиентов в орбиту влияния бренда. А пережив 2020 год, представители «неудачливых» знаков уже и не вспомнят о короткой новости, репост которой они увидели в тематической группе.
В будущем появится ещё и третий мотив — конкуренция, то есть фейковые новости всё чаще будут создавать для подрыва репутации бизнеса. К примеру, в 2017 году Комиссия по ценным бумагам и биржам США «накрыла» целую сеть сайтов, на которых публиковались платные новостные и псевдоаналитические статьи об определённых компаниях с негативными прогнозами об котировках их акций. Как показало дальнейшее исследование, фейковые материалы действительно влияли на цены и объём сделок с акциями небольших компаний.
Далее разберём, как, собственно, работает механизм создания и распространения фейковых новостей.
Разбираем алгоритм
Фейковые новостные кампании обычно проходят в несколько этапов, хотя это процесс творческий, и в зависимости от целей или особенностей аудитории некоторые стадии могут быть опущены.
На первом этапе организатор кампании изучает целевую аудиторию. Он отвечает на три основных вопроса: «Кому врать?», «О чём врать?» и «Зачем врать?». Анализ проводится самый широкий — от образовательного уровня и информационной грамотности будущих читателей до их взглядов на жизнь. Собственно, на этом этапе и были пойманы специалисты Cambridge Analytica, которые собирали персональные данные пользователей Facebook для политических целей.
На втором этапе создаётся, собственно, фейковая новость. Её главная особенность в том, что почти всегда «декорации» фальсифицированной истории, то есть участники события, место и время действий, — реальные, а фейком является, собственно, само событие.
В зависимости от масштабов компании, фейковых новостей может быть несколько. К примеру, первая история сообщает о событии, а последующие — развивают тему. Иногда к ним примешиваются даже настоящие новости, которые дополняют картину выдуманной истории. Они направлены на скептическую часть потенциальной аудитории.
Помимо новостей, на втором этапе создаются агенты распространения: фейковые пользователи соцсетей, фейковые новостные сайты, фейковые группы и сообщества. Для этого в ход идут чёрные и белые технологии SMM, позволяющие за деньги плодить и продвигать поддельных пользователей соцсетей. К примеру, в соцсети Weibo (китайский аналог Twitter) селебрити с 300 тыс. подписчиков можно создать примерно за 2,5 тыс. долларов всего за месяц.
Обычно фейковая новость сперва появляется на таком же фейковом сайте новостей или на любой другой площадке, где публикации никак не контролируются. Далее в дело вступает «гуру» — прокачанный и авторитетный у целевой аудитории блогер, который публикует новость у себя. Сообщение подхватывают боты — реальные пользователи соцсетей или роботы, созданные/привлечённые специально для фейковой новостной кампании. Помимо распространения, они выполняют очень важную функцию — изолируют скептиков, которые остаются в меньшинстве и предпочитают сохранять молчание вместо противостояния фейкам.
На следующем этапе новость доходит до целевой аудитории и начинает жить своей жизнью. Наиболее вдохновлённые читатели лайкают и репостят фейковое сообщение, делятся им в мессенджерах. Возникает вирусный эффект, который привлекает внимание ещё более широкой аудитории — журналистов и других профессиональных участников медиаполя. Фейковая новость попадает в мейнстрим-медиа. Иногда случаются курьёзы, когда фейковая новость сама всплывает через годы. К примеру, в 2017 году многие мировые СМИ сообщили о российской радиоэлектронной бомбе, якобы способной выводить из строя корабли. При этом впервые информация об этом появилась в соцсети Facebook ещё в 2014 году, когда фейковый «моряк» рассказал о воздействии «электронной бомбы» с самолёта СУ-24 на американский эсминец «Дональд Кук». Впоследствии всё было опровергнуто.
Этот этап используется в долгосрочных кампаниях, призванных коренным образом изменить отношение целевой аудитории к каким-либо явлениям, причём иногда диаметрально противоположным образом. Для этого запускается не одна, а несколько последовательных фейковых новостных кампаний. Одна и та же история раскрывается через различные аспекты, появляются все новые герои событий, а вирусный эффект генерируется многократными волнами.
6. «Домашняя работа»
После достижении заданной цели могут потребоваться дополнительные, закрепляющие действия. К примеру, если речь идёт о кампании, подрывающей репутацию какого-либо политика, в информационное поле могут быть запущены позитивные новости о нём, которые не имеют прямого отношения к фейковой истории, но несколько корректируют образ жертвы в глазах общественности. Такие действия призваны устранить у общественности ощущение травли или спланированной акции в отношении политика.
7. Заметание следов
Последний этап — сокрытие следов активности. Наиболее распространённая технология позволяющая это сделать, — отвлекающая новость. Используя уже созданную инфраструктуру из ботов можно вбросить новое «информационное» сообщение. По своей тематике оно должно совершенно отличаться от прежней фейковой истории, быть ещё более громким и резонансным. Такая фейковая новость переключает внимание общественности на новую проблему и «глушит» голоса тех, кто, возможно, к этому моменту сумел идентифицировать прежний фейк.
Теперь, разобравшись в алгоритмах, давайте посмотрим на фейковую новость не глазами создателей, а со стороны аудитории. И выясним параллельно, как противостоять fake news?
Вырабатываем «иммунитет»
Поскольку fake news бьют прямой наводкой по пользователям, первый рубеж обороны могут составить только сами читатели. Прежде всего, они должны определять фейковые новости по следующим признакам:
1. Гиперболизированные и кликбейтные заголовки.
Новостные заголовки обычно передают суть информационного сообщения, а не создают загадок
Когда умирает действительно «легендарный рок-музыкант, хиты которого знают все» достаточно написать его имя, чтобы привлечь внимание читателей
Заголовки новостей коротко описывают суть произошедшего. В противном случае лучше новость проигнорировать.
2. Подозрительные домены или искажённые названия сайтов популярных медиа, похожие на настоящие
Примеры таких сайтов можно посмотреть, к примеру, здесь.
Забейте в поисковик название интересующего вас СМИ — на первых позициях в выдаче будут оригиналы. Сравните их интернет-адресом подозрительного источника.
3. Большое количество ошибок или опечаток в тексте новости
Попробуйте найти на сайтах известных вам СМИ эту же историю, но в более развёрнутом виде. Если поиски не увенчаются успехом, то, скорее всего, перед вами автоматически сгенерированный контент.
4. Поддельные фото или коллажи
Фотоколлаж рассчитан на невнимательного читателя и призван иллюстрировать несостоявшееся событие
Попробуйте сохранить подозрительное фото и поискать его копии через фотопоисковики (Google, TinEyE и т.п.). Если копий нет в авторитетных источниках, то скорее всего перед вами фотошоп.
5. Отсутствие отметок о времени публикации новости
Даты публикации скрывается для того, чтобы максимально продлить «жизнь» фейковой новости. Такое сообщение будет казаться актуальным сколь угодно долго, пока не будет явно противоречить действительности.
Забейте заголовок подозрительной новости и попробуйте поискать его, используя фильтры времени. Скажем, укажите прошлый год или прошлый месяц. Если вы найдёте аналогичную новость в архивах, то скорее всего это фейк.
6. Отсутствие указания автора и источника
Многие фейки генерируются автоматизировано, поэтому никаких упоминаний ни автора, ни источника не остаётся. Тем не менее в последнее время фейковые новости выходят за авторством никому не известных журналистов — скорее всего их имена также случайны, и за ними не стоят реальные люди.
Попытайтесь найти новость или её авторов в мейнстрим-media. Прежде всего — в информационных агентствах.
Если же источники указаны, то попробуйте изучить их. Источники типа «Wikipedia» или «LiveJournal» — это скорее попытки скрыть реальные источники информации или их отсутствие.
How to identify fake news
What is fake news?
Fake news refers to false or misleading information which masquerades as legitimate news. Generally, fake news falls into two categories:
Misinformation isn’t a new phenomenon – the term “fake news” was actually used in the 19 th century – but the internet and soI don’cial media have transformed how it’s created and spread. Pre-internet, people tended to receive their news from trusted media sources whose journalists were required to follow strict codes of practice. The internet enabled new ways to publish, share and consume news and information, with relatively little regulation or editorial standards. Many people now consume news from social media and other online sources – but it’s not always easy to determine which stories are credible and which are false.
Types of fake news
There are different types of fake news, depending on the motivation of those who create it. For example:
Clickbait
Sensationalism sells, and outrageous or weird stories and distorted images drive clicks and shares online. Clickbait refers to stories deliberately designed to get more website visitors and increase advertising revenue for the website owners – often at the expense of truth and accuracy.
Propaganda
This refers to false or distorted stories written to mislead audiences and promote a political agenda or biased perspective.
Poor quality journalism
Sometimes, journalists don’t have time to check all their facts before publishing, leading to genuine mistakes becoming fake news. However, trusted new sources will correct errors in their stories and be transparent with readers when they’ve got things wrong.
Misleading headlines
Sometimes a story may be broadly true, but a sensationalist or misleading headline is used to entice readers to click on it. This can lead to fake news – since usually only the headline and small snippets of the article are displayed on social media, where it can quickly spread.
Imposter content
This is when genuine news sources are impersonated with false, made-up stories to deceive or mislead audiences.
Satire or parody
Some fake news is published for entertainment value. For example, satirical stories use humor, irony, or exaggeration to joke about the news or famous people. These stories don’t attempt to mislead audiences because they aren’t meant to be taken seriously. Notable examples of satirical websites include The Onion and The Daily Mash.
High-profile politicians have been known to dismiss stories they disagree with – which may be factual and verified – as “fake news”. Because the term “fake news” is expansive and means different things to different people, it can be contested. In 2018, the British Government banned the term from official papers or documents, claiming it was too poorly defined to be meaningful. Instead, it prefers to use the terms «misinformation» and «disinformation» when describing false stories:
How does fake news work?
Fake news is often spread through fake news websites, which, in an attempt to gain credibility, often emulate authentic news sources. According to research, social media enables false claims to spread quickly – more quickly, in fact, than real news. Fake news spreads rapidly because it’s typically designed to grab attention and appeal to emotions – which is why it often features outlandish claims or stories which provoke anger or fear.
Social media feeds often prioritize content based on engagement metrics – that is, how often it’s shared and liked – rather than how accurate or well-researched it is. This approach can allow clickbait, hyperbole, and misinformation to spread widely. Social media companies are seen as platforms rather than publishers, which means they don’t have the same legal liabilities as traditional media outlets – although this may change as the political and legal landscape evolves.
Social media bots can spread fake news since they mass produce and spread articles, regardless of the credibility of their sources. Bots can create fake accounts online, which then gain followers, recognition, and authority – some of which are programmed to spread misinformation.
Trolls – internet users who deliberately try to start arguments or upset people – also play a part in spreading fake news. Sometimes they can be paid to do so for political reasons. The terms “troll farm” or “troll factory” are sometimes used in this context to refer to institutionalized groups of trolls who attempt to interfere in political decision-making.
Fake news sometimes involves the use of Deepfakes. These are fake videos created using digital software, machine learning, and face-swapping. Images are combined to create new footage which shows events or actions that never actually took place. The results can be very convincing and difficult to identify as false.
Fake news examples
Coronavirus fake news
The Covid-19 pandemic provided fertile ground for false information online, with numerous examples of fake news throughout the crisis. A persistent example of fake news in social media was the claim that 5G technology was linked to the spread of the virus – supposedly because 5G suppressed the immune system while the virus communicated through radio waves. These claims were not true and were repeatedly debunked by official sources but were still shared extensively.
US presidential election in 2016
Fake news and misinformation became a big issue during the US election in 2016, with false and misleading claims across the political spectrum. One analysis suggested that a large proportion of fake news generated in the election was created by teenagers in Macedonia, who found the more hyper-partisan stories they created, the more people clicked through and shared, and the more money they made as a result.
Boston Marathon bombing
In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, false claims that the bombing was an elaborate ruse plotted by the US government circulated online. In the wake of many terrorist events across the world, conspiracy theories are often rife. The notion that they are «false flag» operations – i.e., carried out by the state or a secret cabal to pin the blame on others or provide cover for other activities – is a common trope.
Kim Jong-un – the sexiest man alive?
In 2012, satirical website The Onion ran an article claiming that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un had been voted the sexiest man alive, declaring that «the Pyongyang-bred heartthrob is every woman’s dream come true.» In an example of how satire can sometimes be misunderstood across cultures, publications in China – including the online version of China’s Communist Party newspaper – reported the claim as though it were true.
What are the dangers of fake news?
People often make important decisions – for example, how to vote in an election or what medical treatment to follow when they’re ill – based on what they read in the news. That’s why trusted news is so important. The dangers of fake news include:
How to identify fake news
You may be wondering how to identify fake news on Facebook and other social media sites? As a student, how to avoid fake news? Or how to avoid accidentally sharing misinformation online? Here are ten tips to identify misinformation, recognize fake news websites, and think before you share:
1. Check the source:
Check the web address for the page you’re looking at. Sometimes, fake news sites may have spelling errors in the URL or use less conventional domain extensions such as «.infonet» or «.offer». If you are unfamiliar with the site, look in the About Us section.
2. Check the author:
Research them to see if they are credible – for example, are they real, do they have a good reputation, are they writing about their specific area of expertise, and do they have a particular agenda? Consider what the writer’s motivation might be.
3. Check other sources:
Are other reputable news or media outlets reporting on the story? Are credible sources cited within the story? Professional global news agencies have editorial guidelines and extensive resources for fact-checking, so if they are also reporting the story, that’s a good sign.
4. Maintain a critical mindset:
A lot of fake news is cleverly written to provoke strong emotional reactions such as fear or anger. Maintain a critical mindset by asking yourself – why has this story been written? Is it promoting a particular cause or agenda? Is it trying to make me click through to another website?
5. Check the facts:
Credible news stories will include plenty of facts – data, statistics, quotes from experts, and so on. If these are missing, question why. Reports with false information often contain incorrect dates or altered timelines, so it’s a good idea to check when the article was published. Is it a current or old news story?
6. Check the comments:
Even if the article or video is legitimate, the comments below may not be. Often links or comments posted in response to content can be autogenerated by bots or people hired to put our misleading or confusing information.
7. Check your own biases:
We all have biases – could these be influencing the way you respond to the article? Social media can create echo chambers by suggesting stories that match your existing browsing habits, interests, and opinions. The more we read from diverse sources and perspectives, the more likely it is that we can draw accurate conclusions.
8. Check whether it’s a joke:
Satirical websites are popular, and sometimes it is not always clear whether a story is just a joke or parody. Check the website to see if it’s known for satire or creating funny stories.
9. Check images are authentic:
Images you see on social media could have been edited or manipulated. Possible signs include warping – where straight lines in the background now appear wavy – as well as strange shadows, jagged edges, or skin tone that looks too perfect. Bear in mind, too, that an image may be accurate but simply used in a misleading context. You can use tools such as Google’s Reverse Image Search to check where an image originates from and whether it has been altered.
10. Use a fact-checking site:
Some of the best known include:
Fake news relies on believers reposting, retweeting, or otherwise sharing false information. If you’re not sure whether an article is authentic or not, pause and think before you share. To help stay safe online, use an antivirus solution like Kaspersky Total Security, which protects you from hackers, viruses, malware, and other online threats.
Explained: What is False Information (Fake News)?
Explained: What is False Information (Fake News)?
False Information v Fake News
What is False Information?
Lots of things you read online especially in your social media feeds may appear to be true, often is not. False information is news, stories or hoaxes created to deliberately misinform or deceive readers. Usually, these stories are created to either influence people’s views, push a political agenda or cause confusion and can often be a profitable business for online publishers. False information can deceive people by looking like trusted websites or using similar names and web addresses to reputable news organisations.
According to Martina Chapman (Media Literacy Expert), there are three elements to fake news; ‘Mistrust, misinformation and manipulation’.
The Rise of False Information
False information is not new, however it has become a hot topic since 2017. Traditionally we got our news from trusted sources, journalists and media outlets that are required to follow strict codes of practice. However, the internet has enabled a whole new way to publish, share and consume information and news with very little regulation or editorial standards.
Many people now get news from social media sites and networks and often it can be difficult to tell whether stories are credible or not. Information overload and a general lack of understanding about how the internet works by people has also contributed to an increase in fake news or hoax stories. Social media sites can play a big part in increasing the reach of these type of stories.
The economics of social media favour gossip, novelty, speed and “shareability”’ Simeon Yates
Types of False Information
There are differing opinions when it comes to identifying types of false information. However, when it comes to evaluating content online there are various types of false or misleading news we need to be aware of. These include:
1. Clickbait
These are stories that are deliberately fabricated to gain more website visitors and increase advertising revenue for websites. Clickbait stories use sensationalist headlines to grab attention and drive click-throughs to the publisher website, normally at the expense of truth or accuracy.
2. Propaganda
Stories that are created to deliberately mislead audiences, promote a biased point of view or particular political cause or agenda.
3. Satire/Parody
Lots of websites and social media accounts publish fake news stories for entertainment and parody. For example; The Onion, Waterford Whispers, The Daily Mash, etc.
4. Sloppy Journalism
Sometimes reporters or journalists may publish a story with unreliable information or without checking all of the facts which can mislead audiences. For example, during the U.S. elections, fashion retailer Urban Outfitters published an Election Day Guide, the guide contained incorrect information telling voters that they needed a ‘voter registration card’. This is not required by any state in the U.S. for voting.
5. Misleading Headings
Stories that are not completely false can be distorted using misleading or sensationalist headlines. These types of news can spread quickly on social media sites where only headlines and small snippets of the full article are displayed on audience newsfeeds.
6. Biased/Slanted News
Many people are drawn to news or stories that confirm their own beliefs or biases and fake news can prey on these biases. Social media news feeds tend to display news and articles that they think we will like based on our personalised searches.
7. Imposter Content
When genuine sources are impersonated with false, made-up sources. This is dangerous as it relates to information with no factual basis being presented in the style of a credible news source or article to make it look like a legitimate source.
8. Manipulated Content
When real information or imagery is manipulated to deceive, as with a doctored photo or video. This can be used to mislead people or create a false narrative about something or someone.
The False Information Business Model
The internet and social media have made it very easy for anyone to publish content on a website, blog or social media profile and potentially reach large audiences. With so many people now getting news from social media sites, many content creators/publishers have used this to their advantage.
False information can be a profitable business, generating large sums of advertising revenue for publishers who create and publish stories that go viral. The more clicks a story gets, the more money online publishers make through advertising revenue and for many publishers social media is an ideal platform to share content and drive web traffic.
False Information, Social Media, and the Filter Bubble
In a recent article on media literacy, Hugh Linehan noted; “Media is no longer passively consumed – it’s created, shared, liked, commented on, attacked and defended in all sorts of different ways by hundreds of millions of people. And the algorithms used by the most powerful tech companies – Google and Facebook in particular – are brilliantly designed to personalise and tailor these services to each user’s profile.”
When we go online or login to a social network we are generally presented with news, articles and content based on our own searches online. This type of content tends to reflect our own likes, views and beliefs and therefore isolating us from differing views and opinions. This is often referred to as a filter bubble.
What can we do about False Information?
Google and Facebook have announced new measures to tackle fake news with the introduction of reporting and flagging tools. Media organisations like the BBC and Channel 4 have also established fact checking sites While these are welcome developments, digital media literacy and developing skills to critically evaluate information are essential skills for anyone navigating the internet and especially for young people.
The vast amount of information available online and rise in fake news highlights the need for critical thinking. Children need to develop critical thinking from an early age. This is a key skill for young people to develop as they enter into third level education and prepare themselves for the workplace.
How to spot False Information?
Anyone can fall for false information online. There are a number of things to watch out for when evaluating content online.
1.Who is sharing the story?
Check if the the social media account sharing the post is verified. Most public figures and media outlets display a “blue badge or check mark” which means the account has been authenticated. This can mean the content of the post is more likely to be reliable, although not always.
2. Take a closer look
Check the source of the story, do you recognise the website? Is it a credible/reliable source? If you are unfamiliar with the site, look in the about section or find out more information about the author.
3. Look beyond the headline
Check the entire article, many fake news stories use sensationalist or shocking headlines to grab attention. Often the headlines of fake new stories are in all caps and use exclamation points.
4. Check other sources
Are other reputable news/media outlets reporting on the story? Are there any sources in the story? If so, check they are reliable or if they even exist!
5. Check the facts
Stories with false information often contain incorrect dates or altered timelines. It is also a good idea to check when the article was published, is it current or an old news story?
6. Check your biases
Are your own views or beliefs affecting your judgement of a news feature or report?
7. Is it a joke?
Satirical sites are popular online and sometimes it is not always clear whether a story is just a joke or parody… Check the website, is it known for satire or creating funny stories?
Useful Resources:
Be Media Smart – www.bemediasmart.ie #StopThinkCheck
Developed by Media Literacy Ireland, Be Media Smart offers useful tips and guidance on how to tell the difference between reliable and accurate information and or deliberately false or misleading information.
Media Literacy Ireland – www.medialiteracyireland.ie
Facilitated by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, MLI is a network of volunteer members coming from a large number of sectors, organisations and interests, working together to empower people to make informed media choices about the media content and services that they consume, create, and disseminate across all platforms. The MLI offers useful media literacy resources, research, and news.
Fact checking sites
Deep Fakes and Visual Deception
Deepfakes are fake videos created using digital software, machine learning and face swapping. Deepfakes are computer-created artificial videos in which images are combined to create new footage that depicts events, statements or action that never actually happened. The results can be quite convincing. Deep fakes differ from other forms of false information by being very difficult to identify as false.
Find out more in Explained: What Are Deepfakes?